stand
by vapanalley
Summary: Theirs was a world where people only hold hands to have a thumb war with guns held behind their backs with the other hand. Lambo still thinks that he turned out all right.


A/N: School is starting. D: Enough said.

Disclaimer: KHR belongs to Akira Amano.

* * *

Theirs was a world where people only hold hands to have a thumb war with guns held behind their backs with the other hand.

Lambo thinks that he turned out all right, all things considered. He didn't turn out fantastic or anything. But with big brothers like his, he was bound to have some good qualities.

He was always the kid with the cooler older brothers growing up. Everything about him seemed to reflect a crybaby of a boy who came from a family with old money. Had they gotten technical, they could have said he came from _two_ families with old money. Pronouns can be used in funny ways. But "they" has always meant the cruel school children he grew up hating.

He tried not to live up to his reputation. He acted stupider than he was. He was quieter than he really wanted to be. He cried less in the vain hope that they would pick on him less. He shared, but they were not willing to give back. They were only willing to take. They had split him up like so many pieces of candy. Sweet in the mouth, but if eaten too often a bitter aftertaste pervades.

Sometimes the bitterness is caused by pangs of guilt, but at other times it is the bile that they choke back up when they get sick to their stomach from too much sugar.

His brothers weren't stupid. Gokudera was the smartest of them all with sharp eyes like a bird of prey. He had noticed the way Lambo's cow-print shirt was always torn and the inner pockets devoid of candy. His words were always gruff when he helped Lambo remove strange things from Lambo's hair, but Gokudera's hands were always gentle.

It was like yesterday. If he closes his eyes the scenes unfold from behind his eyelids and everything plays like a movie.

_bitter  
_

"Look at what an amazing thing Lambo-san has created for your eyes to feast on!"

Yammamoto laughs good naturedly and ruffles Lambo's hair.

"Wow, little guy. What an amazing finger paint portrait."

The classroom is practically buzzing with children excitedly recounting their efforts to create their singular masterpieces. Parents stand by and make polite, amazed gestures and sounds.

"Lambo-san wants you guys to see the teacher!"

"You don't want us to meet any of your friends?"

"Uh…Lambo-san wants candy!"

Gokudera shoves a lollipop into Lambo's mouth and unceremoniously tells him to shut up the hell up in Italian. Lambo remembers thinking that Gokudera was acting strange since he hadn't threatened to kill Lambo all night.

The teacher stand up from behind her desk and walks over to Gokudera. Lambo remembers her ugly green shoes that looked like someone had thrown up all over them.

"Lambo is very quiet. Such a well behaved boy, but he gets into so many accidents. Is he prone to falling down often at home? He falls quiet a lot in the playground. He always rips his clothes during recess." The teacher sounds sympathetic, but Gokudera just frowns at her like he expected more from her.

Right after the teacher finishes speaking, Lambo feels a presence behind him. He feels a shift from Gokudera next to him and a hand lands on his shoulder and pulls him to the right. The teacher screams as a dark haired boy tumbles right onto a puke colored shoes.

Lambo remembers feeling so _surprised_ when Shou ends up tackling the teacher.

_sweet_

It was funny how things changed after that.

Whenever his big brothers were around, strange things happened. Instead of picking on Lambo, the other children began to ignore him. At the time, the invisibility powers he had suddenly gained had seemed like a super power that had developed over night. It had been exhilarating. Years later, he still thinks that invisibility is a beautiful ability, but he's decided it isn't for him.

And among the thousands of lessons Lambo has learned from gradeschool, he stands by his first observation. First graders are vicious.


End file.
